The DeCon’s Week 2 Fantasy Football Picks
By DeCon
The first thing I would like to set straight, at 36 years old, I am only a mere 5 months older than BGO’s lead blogger, Boomer. However, it is true that I was playing fantasy football before the internet.
Of course, last week did not go well for the Bears. When I picked Jay Cutler as one of my Bent Over the Altar picks in Week 1, I in no way intended for THAT to happen.
The great thing about week 1 in the NFL is we still have 15 weeks to go to make amends and to figure out how the Bears Defense can adjust to life without # 54. I am going to remain optimistic with a small side dish of your typical Chicago fan pessimism.
I hope your fantasy football teams did better than mine last week. I suffered the dreaded DIEfecta…Bears lost and so did both of my fantasy teams…alas, week 2 is here and it is time for The DeCon to Preach from the Pulpit.
Stone Tablet Locks – chisel these guys in stone as MUST PLAYS this week.
1) Aaron Rodgers vs Cincy – Rodgers, who many called a top 5 fantasy football QB, including myself, turned in a relatively pedestrian performance in week 1 against the Beloved with less than 200 yards passing and only 1 TD. Was that because of the Bears D or is Rodgers overrated? I will go with the former and expect Rodgers to have plenty of time to pick apart the Bengals who enter the week off of a heartbreaking loss at home to ol’ Neckbeard Orton and the Broncos. If you are hoping for 300 yards passing and 3 TDs from Rodgers this week, I think you can take that to the bank!
2) Chris Johnson/LenDale White vs Houston – The Texans made Mark Sanchez look like the second coming of Joe Namath last week and made Thomas Jones look like Thomas Jones circa 2005/2006, allowing Jones to rack up 107 yards and 2 TDs. I expect the Titans to give the Texans a strong dose of Smash and Dash or whatever they call themselves and no matter which Titan RB you have of the two, get him in your lineup. I would expect at least 3 TDs on the ground from Guppy’s Titans and maybe ever 2 a piece for each of these RBs.
3) Antonio Gates vs Balt – Gates should generally always be in your starting lineup, but I expect a big week from Gates this week. Rivers looked fairly solid in a hostile environment last week and led the Bolts on a game winning TD drive. I think he will only get better and with Gates as his primary target, he should also see plenty of action his way. Balt’s 3-4 D is ripe for a big target at the TE position to exploit the seam and I think this is the week for Gates to get it done. With 5 catches for 83 yards and 0 TDs last week, I expect better numbers from Gates this week, including a TD.
DeCon’s Blessing – given to SLEEPERS to sneak in to grab you some big points.
1) Percy Harvin @ Detroit – with 3 receptions for 36 yards and a nifty TD catch against Cleveland on the road, Harvin was a pleasant rookie surprise in week 1. Against the Lions who allowed 6 passing TDs by Drew Brees last week, look for the Vikings to try to ease the load on Purple Jesus and let Favre loosen up his former rocket arm. Also, Harvin looked good in the return game with nearly 100 yards on returns. He could be on tap to bring a return to the house.
2) Louis Murphy @ KC – ok, I usually NEVER start rookie WRs in fantasy, because rookie WRs are very unpredictable and generally underwhelm. With that in mind, in addition to Harvin, the DeCon is also blessing Louis Murphy in your starting lineups. This Raider rookie hauled in 4 passes for 87 yards, including a clutch 57 yard TD in the 4th quarter of the game. Murphy was also robbed of TD right before halftime and he clearly was the favorite target of JaMarcus Russell. This performance from a rookie WR who is on the same team as fellow rookie and # 7 overall pick Darius Heyward-Bey who caught exactly 0 balls makes me believe Murphy will get his shot against a Chiefs team who allowed 307 passing yards and gave up 3 passing TDs to Baltimore last week.
3) Jay Cutler vs Pitt – for the sake of the Beardom, let’s hope my prediction for JC to bounce back from a career high 4 picks in week 1 is spot on. JC knows he has a lot to prove, even if 2 or 3 of his picks last week were the fault of his receivers cutting off their routes. If the O line gives JC time, he could pick apart the Steelers secondary which will be without all world safety, Troy Polamalu. In his only other meeting against the Steelers in 2007, JC passed for 248 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs and led the Broncos to a 31-28 victory in Denver. Also, JC had a completion % of just under 76%, so he should have the confidence he can make the throws against the Steelers D as long as the line keeps him upright.
Bent Over the Altar – your MUST SIT players because no one wants to be bent over the altar.
1) LaDanian Tomlinson vs Balt – this goes against one of my cardinal rules of starting your 1st round draft picks in the early part of the season, no matter what, but you have to sit LT this week. There are 3 reasons I feel this way: 1) his ankle injury is suspect; 2) Darren Sproles does more in the SD offense now; 3) the Bolts are facing a tough Baltimore D that allowed 29 rushing yards last week to the Chiefs. I realize that was the Chiefs, but this D gets after people and brings the pain all day. Sadly, LT is on the wrong side of 30 and it is starting to show. I wouldn’t completely write him off, but he will likely completely bend you over the altar if you start him this week.
2) Brian Westbrook vs New Orleans – given McNabb’s status I would recommend sitting all your Eagles this week, except maybe their DST which looked solid last week and will have to be even more solid this week to hold down the video game offense the Saints run. In Westbrook’s last meeting with the Saints in 2007, he only amassed a measly 100 yards rushing and no TDs and was insignificant in the passing game. I expect the Saints to load up against the run and force Kevin Kolb to beat them. If D-Mac plays, consider Westbrook only a marginally better option.
3) Trent Edwards vs TB – T(eam) O(bliterator) is up to his old tricks and called out Edwards by saying that he needs to make better reads to take some shots down the field. While the Bills will be in front of their home crowd, I would expect Edwards to improve upon his 212 yards and 2 TDs from last week against the Bucs. I would sit him to make sure he can withstand the chirping of the biggest diva WR to ever play in the NFL.
Can I get an “Amen?”
The DeCon has spoken…so let it be written, so let it be done…
I’ll hear your fantasy football confessions at beargoggles.decon@gmail.com.